Updates from Syracuse: U of L, NC State media day

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Welcome to open practice and interview day before the East regional semifinals. Louisville and NC State will both have interview sessions today (Thursday), and conduct practices in the Carrier Dome.

We'll provide live updates of all of it, plus transcripts of each press conference, a breakdown of tomorrow's game information and a preview of the U of L-NC State Sweet 16 matchup.

Louisville press conferences

* Rick Pitino was made aware of NC State point guard Cat Barber's comments that teams shouldn't press him. His response? "Well, Duke just pressed them and just won by 20 points, so that throws that theory out the window."

* Pitino on playing NC State again: "I really don't think it matters. We know them better, and they know us better. We have great respect for them. They beat us at home. A lot of teams don't beat us at home. It was a close game, and then they pulled away. Hurt us on the backboard. Hurt us off pick-and-rolls. Did a lot of really good things. They're a team right now that can beat you so many different ways."

* Montrezl Harrell had a rough night against NC State back in February. "It was a tough shooting night for me. If you keep playing the game of basketball long enough, you're always going to have a tough night. But I learned the process of moving forward."

* Inside the locker room, Terry Rozier was amused by BeeJay Anya's comment that the only thing that's different about Louisville is they don't have Chris Jones. "Obviously we don't have him. We're a better team. We move the ball a lot more. I'm not trying to knock Chris or anything, but we don't just stand around and awtch one person dribble .... If that what he feels ... he'll have to find out tomorrow."

Louisville open practice

* Louisville came out for its open workouts in front of a still small crowd here at the Carrier Dome. One thing we noticed: Montrezl Harrell, Wayne Blackshear, Terry Rozier, Mangok Mathiang and Quentin Snider rested for the first 10-15 minutes of open practice.

NC State was up first for its media responsibilities ...

NC State press conferences

* NC State coach Mark Gottfried: Louisville, without Chris Jones, has relied more on Terry Rozier to get points. "Rozier is the biggest one. He's the guy that seems to hunt for shots more. They go to him more. I think he realizes he needs to score and step his game up."

* In the locker, I asked NC State big man BeeJay Anya what's different about Louisville since the first time they played NC State back in February. "They don't have Chris Jones anymore. That's all I really noticed about them." That's it? "That's it."

* More Gottfriend: "In that game in Louisville, it was kind of a turning point for us. We changed our starting lineup; put Lennard Freeman in the lineup. Gives us a little more defense and rebounding. I thought he helped us execute our offense a little better and get better shots. So I think from that point forward, at times we have really guarded people well. Not every game, but I do think it's helped us, especially here down the stretch."

* Funny moment with Gottfriend on point guard Anthony "Cat" Barber: "I don't think I ever called him 'Anthony,' not one time. He's the Cat Daddy to me."

NC State open practice

* The Wolfpack practiced in front of a sparsely populated Carrier Dome on Thursday afternoon. Guessing this entire slate of teams will be a hard draw here in Syracuse, and it doesn't help that (1) it's a school/work day and (2) it's rainy and cold.

* NC State is loose and comfortable at its open practice. Early in the workout, which is mostly for show, NC State coach Mark Gottfried told his players to ignore the distractions around them and focus on their 50-minute session.